


We Need To Talk About Lucy

by LeoLeonte



Category: Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Crack, George is losing his shit, Getting Together, Pining, Unprofessionalism, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:33:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27289444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeoLeonte/pseuds/LeoLeonte
Summary: Lucy has gone to visit family.Lockwood isn't coping very well.Neither is anyone else.
Relationships: Anthony Lockwood & Holly Munro, George Cubbins & Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlyle/Anthony Lockwood
Comments: 8
Kudos: 91





	We Need To Talk About Lucy

Anthony Lockwood was notorious for his compartmentalisation skills. It was hard to tell if the young man ever felt things like sadness or anger as he always seemed to be a flurry of excitement and enthusiasm.

For this reason, it was particularly disturbing for George Cubbins and Holly Munro to observe the way their employer was – for a lack of better word – sulking.

For the past week the fourth member of their little gang had been visiting family which involved a long train journey and staying overnight. Not to mention the fact that her family was apparently gigantic which meant several places to go and thus longer time spent away from thirty-five Portland Row.

The first few days had been bearable, but then the sighs started. Frowns followed along with prolonged staring at the door.

This morning Lockwood had hit a new low. George had found him on the stairs, staring longingly at Lucy’s door and had grabbed him by the sleeve of his pyjamas and pulled him down to the kitchen and pushed him into a chair where he sat, sulking like a child that had been scolded.

“This is pathetic.” George said in disdain.

Lockwood’s only response was a slight deepening of his frown. Holly, who had been doing dishes, interrupted her chore to put a plate of toast and a cup of tea in front of him.

“I mean it. You need to do something about this.” George continued a little more gently.

Lockwood shrugged “About what?” He grabbed a miniature rapier from the cup with markers at the centre of the table and started stabbing his toast. It had been a gag gift last Christmas. From Lucy of course.

George sighed and rolled his eyes. “About Lucy!”

Lockwood’s eyes flew to meet George’s, but he lowered them again immediately, focusing on murdering his poor toast. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Holly snorted most unladylike and returned to the dishes.

George took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “You know _exactly_ what I’m talking about. Holly knows what I’m talking about. _Everybody_ knows what I’m talking about. Except for Lucy because she’s dense like that.”

“Lucy’s not –“ Lockwood interrupted himself with a nose wrinkle, probably realising that he was incriminating himself.

“You’re in love with her.” George deadpanned.

Lockwood crossed his arms over his chest, unwilling to confirm and unable to deny his claim.

“What’s worse,” George waved his toast around for emphasis, “is that she’s been in love with you too, for ages and you’re not doing anything about it! I’m going insane here! There’s so much tension! So much _angst!_ ” He took a break from his rant to take a bite of his toast. “It’s stressing,” he complained with a full mouth, spraying the thinking cloth with crumbs, “I’m going to get an ulcer if you don’t just snog her soon, for crying out loud.”

Holly had turned back around during George’s speech and chimed in. “He’s right, Lockwood. You need to do something. She fancies you now, but if you don’t act, she might move on.” She shrugged and leaned against the counter.

Lockwood dropped the little rapier on the plate with a clink. “I can’t.” He sighed heavily. “I’m her _boss._ It would be horribly unprofessional.” He pouted.

George blinked, uncomprehending. “Unpro – _Unprofessional?!_ Are you kidding me? When have we ever cared about professionalism?”

“I’ve _always_ cared about professionalism. We’ve fought every turn to be seen as a serious company even though we have no supervisors.” Lockwood frowned at the murdered toast.

A prolonged silence ensued before George realised something “Holly, did you guys ever bother rehiring Lucy officially?”

A smirk slowly spread on Holly’s lips. “No, technically Lucy’s still a freelancer.”

“See. Not her boss” George smiled

Lockwood tapped his index finger on the table in contemplation. “I am still her employer though.” He argued.

“For heaven’s sake! Fire her then! Or I dunno – make her partner!” George cried and threw his hands up in exasperation.

Lockwood looked at him in shock “What?”

“Merge! You have a company; Lucy has a company – merge! Just _do something_.” George pleaded in desperation.

Lockwood blinked slowly. “But – but that would totally throw off the name. Lockwood, Carlyle and co. Sounds so weird.”

George practically growled in frustration. “That – that’s your problem? Then mush it together or something! I don’t care! Locklyle? Carwood? It doesn’t matter! Hell, if the name matters so much, you might as well go all the way! Lucy Lockwood doesn’t sound too bad anyway!” He yelled and slammed his fists into the table.

A prolonged silence followed George’s outburst.

Lockwood sat wide-eyed and completely still like a statue.

“You think he’s alright?” Holly whispered.

George shrugged and waved a hand in front of Lockwood’s face without getting a reaction.

"He's not even blinking," he whispered back.

The sound of keys in the door cut through the atmosphere.

The door opened with a slam and George heard it hitting the wall behind it.

It was kicked shut with another resounding bang.

It wasn’t long before the object of his friend’s affections came through the door, dragging along a heavy duffle bag and her trusty rucksack. She was huffing with exertion and pink in the face. The autumn winds had blown her hair in all sorts of directions and she looked like she hadn’t slept for three days.

“I’m back!” She announced unnecessarily.

Lockwood’s vacant expression had turned into an intense, if a little loopy stare, directed at her.

“Lucy, will you marry me?”

Lucy blinked.

“What?”


End file.
